Polyimides of benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid esters and aromatic diamines having a basicity constant of less than 10-&#34; and method of preparation

ABSTRACT

MONOMERIC, RESINOID, SOLID STATE SOLUTIONS OF CERTAIN AROMATIC DIAMINES IN DERIVATIVES OF BENZOPHENONETETRACARBOXYLIC ACID. PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUCH SOLUTIONS AND FOR CONVERTING THEM TO POLYIMIDES AND TO POLYAMIC ACID PRECURSORS.

United States Patent Oflice Patented Oct. 24, 1972 Int. Cl. C08g 20/32 US. Cl. 260-65 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Monomeric, resinoid, solid state solutions of certain aromatic diamines in derivatives of benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid. Process for preparing such solutions and for converting them to polyimides and to polyamic acid precursors.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application No. 851,070 filed Aug. 18, 1969 and now abandoned which, in turn, is a division of application No. 712,908 filed Mar. 14, 1968 (now Pat. No. 3,506,583).

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVEN- TION AND DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This invention relates to novel solid state solutions of certain aromatic diamines in diesters of benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid. More specifically, the present invention relates to such solutions which are monomeric, resinoid like, water insoluble, isolable solids of practically unlimited shelf life with low, broad melting points, and which can be converted to high temperature resistant polyimides as by the application of heat. The invention is also concerned with the preparation of such solutions and their conversion to polyimides and to polyamic acid precursors therefor.

The diamines which can be used in forming the solid state solutions of the present invention are those which have a primary amine basicity constant of 10- or lower and the formula H NAr-NH where Ar is a divalent radical characterized by aromatic unsaturation. The preferred diamines are 2,6 diaminopyridine and 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone.

We have found that, in contrast to the diamines that have heretofore been used in the formation of polyimides 1 and which react with tetracarboxylic acids and their derivatives even at room temperatures to form the corresponding polyamic acids, those of the type employed in the present invention do not react to form such polymers (or even salts or adducts) even at much higher temperatures (60-90 C.). At such temperatures the diamines heretofore employed of course react at a rapid rate.

While such extreme unreactivity of the amino groups of the diamines of the present invention might under ordinary circumstances be considered a disadvantage, we have found that this property is an asset as far as the present invention is concerned since it permits the formation of solid state solutions which have a practically 1 Typical of such prior art" polyimides are those disclosed in U.S. Pats. Nos 3,179,614; 3,179,634: 3,190,856; 3,347,808, and 3,410,826 and in British No. 570,858.

unlimited shelf life an advantage which is of considerable economic importance and is not possessed by any heretofore known polyimide precursors of which we are aware. In fact, because of their extremely limited shelf life, polyimides have heretofore not been used successfully in commercial applications where the shelf life of the precursor must be longer than a few weeks.

We attribute this important advantage to the fact that the resinoids of the present invention are formed from extremely weak primary diamines in which the primary amino groups generally have a base disassociation constant of about 10- while the primary amino groups of the diamines heretofore employed in polyimides such as those described in the patents listed above are generally or more times as strong; i.e., they have base disassociation constants of about 10- and are consequently so reactive even at ambient temperatures that polymerization proceeds at a rate resulting in an unacceptably short shelf life.

Specific examples of diamines which can be used in forming the solid state solutions of the present invention include 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone and 2,6'-diarniniopyridine as mentioned above. These amines are among the weakest aromatic diamines known, having primary amine base disassociation constants of 10'.

In conjunction with the foregoing aromatic diamines with electron-withdrawing substituents on the ring become weaker bases as the electron-withdrawing strength of the substituent increases. Thus the presence of a nitro or sulfone moiety as a substituent on an aromatic nucleus reduces the basicity of the amino groups present on the ring. Accordingly, nitroand sulfone-substituted anilines are weaker than aniline, for example; and, similarly, diaminodiphenyl sulfone is a weak amine because it has an electron-withdrawing group as a substituent on the aromatic rings.

With respect to this phenomenon pyridine compounds behave like their homocyclic counterparts with electronwithdrawing substituents. For example, for purposes of electrophilic substitution, pyridine has the same order of reactivity as nitrobenzene (as has been mentioned above, the nitro radical is a strong electron-withdrawing group). It therefore follows and has been found that diaminopyridines are weaker than phenylenediamines and of the same order of primary amine strength as nitrophenylenediamines and that such amines (pyridinediamines) are accordingly also useful in the preparation of the resinold precursors of the present invention.

The tetracarboxylic acid diesters useful in the practice of the present invention are those derived from benzephenonetetracarboxylic acid and having the formula:

0 uo-h- 3 (L011 RO-C- C-OH where R is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group. This group will typically be methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or benzyl. Other alkyl radicals may, however, equally well be employed.

It should be noted that the diesters of benzephenonetetracarboxylic acid that are used in the present invention are the anhydiide-forming isomers, and that generally In conjunction with the foregoing the resinoids of the present invention have a practically unlimited shelf life both before they enter into a fabrication process and in intermediate forms such as resin-impregnated glass fabrics and ceramic-filled precursors.

these are prepared by reaction of the dianhydride with the esterifying alcohol according to the following reaction:

The ester groups are therefore one to each ring rather than both on the same ring.

Changing the alkyl group merely affects the curing rate of the product, the higher alkyl groups requiring higher cure temperatures or longer cycles. In addition, since the resinoid is isolated from the corresponding alcohol and is often used in solution with the same alcohol as a solvent, the fact that the size of the alkyl group affects the boiling point of the alcohol means that changes in the alkyl groups result in variation of the properties associated with the resinous nature of the material such as tackiness, drying time, et cetera.

In this conjunction, it should be noted that the chemical structure of the cured polymer is independent of the alkyl group used in its preparation as the alkyl group becomes part of the condensation products, which are eliminated in the curing process. This is apparent from the structure of the cured polymer, which is represented by the formula:

or such other radical as will result in a parent diamine having a base dissociation constant of or lower.

The novel imide-forming materials of the present invention may be prepared by heating a solution of the selected acid diester. A stoichiometric amount of the diamine is then added and the mixture agitated until it becomes homogeneous. Upon cooling a solid or semisolid, resinoid solution of the diarnine in the tetracarboxylic acid derivative is obtained.

Alternatively, the novel solid state solutions described above may be prepared by dissolving an appropriate tetracarboxylic acid anhydride in a suitable solvent which will also convert the anhydride to the desired tetracarboxylic acid diester. Examples of solvents which can be employed to effect such conversions include methanol, ethanol, npropyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, and ethylene glycol monomethyl ether. Other such solvents will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts.

In addition to having a much longer shelf life than those heretofore known, the resinoids of the present invention are superior to heretofore known polyamide precursors such as the polyamic acids described in a number of patents including US. Pats. Nos. 3,179,614 and 3,179,634 to Edwards, 3,179,633 and 3,410,826 to Endrey, and 3,190,856 to Lavin et a1. and in British patent specwhere Ar is ification No. 627,205 by Lincoln, et al. in that they are not polymeric, do not require the use of high boiling, expensive solvents to make them, and are produced by a much simpler process. Moreover they can be spray dried since the solvents used have low boiling points and they do not require the use of catalytic solvents. These, which are employed in prior art processes for producing polyimides, cause discoloration of the final polymer and also promote polymerization which causes the precursor to become less soluble and more difficult to handle, often to the point of uselessness.

Further, in contrast to many previously known polyimide precursors, the novel imide-forming materials disclosed herein have low melting points (often below C.) and are highly soluble in low boiling, low cost organic solvents (alcohols, ketones, etc.).

Furthermore, the imide-forming materials of the present invention are solids and can therefore be used directly in injection molding, melt coating, etc. Whereas the precursors disclosed in patents such as Nos. 3,179,634 and 3,190,856 are liquid solutions and are limited in use to film, coating, and impregnation techniques.

Also, being solids, the imide formers disclosed herein can be shipped and otherwise handled at a, much lower cost than those described in the foregoing patents.

Furthermore, the novel precursors we have invented yield polyimides that are equal to, and for some applications better than, polyimides made by heretofore known processes. For example, we have found that in polyimideimpregnated laminated structures or polyimide coatings, the polymers resulting from the polymerization of the resinoids of the present invention are superior to any of Which We are aware in physical properties such as flexural strength and modulus and shear strength, both at room and elevated temperatures.

This is at least in part because the polyimides we have invented have void contents on the order of 0.2% While heretofore known polyimides as disclosed in Edwards Pat. No. 3,179,634 and Endrey Pat. No. 3,410,826, for example, have a void content typically in the range of 8l9%. Those voids are not empty, but contain entrapped condensation products. At elevated temperatures, the reactions which form these condensation products are reversible. Accordingly, at such temperatures, the reactions do reverse and cause degradation of the polymer by severing the polyimide chains. This weakens the material to an extent far in excess of that which would result by merely per se increasing the percentage of voids in the material. Consequently, especially at elevated temperatures, heretofore available polyimides are much weaker than those we have invented.

Also, the polyimides we have invented are superior to those heretofore known as far as physical appearance is concerned. The reason for this apparently is that the solvents in which heretofore known imide-forming precursors are generally prepared, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methylpyrrolidone, cause darkening of the finished product as discussed above. By forming solid state solutions in accord with the present invention, we have eliminated the need for such reaction media and have accordingly eliminated the accompanying side reactions, which were responsible for the darkening of the finished products.

Another advantage of the imide formers described herein, especially over those described in Pat. No. 3,190,586, is that the volatiles evolved in their production are essentially condensation products and not solvents such as cresol which is the case in the process described in the latter patent. The presence of cresol is particularly undesirable since cresol promotes reactions which are detrimental to the properties of the monomeric materials which are desired. Cresol is also difficult to eliminate and, because of its sensitivity to atmospheric oxygen, causes discoloration.

There is also another important distinction between our process and that disclosed in the patent just mentioned. Specifically, water, which is also employed as a solvent in the Lavin process, is expressly avoided in our process. This is because it causes partial salting out of the diamine, thus precluding the formation of a stoichiometric solution of a diamine in the tetracarboxylic acid derivative. In other words, the presence of water precludes the formation of the novel and highly desirable solid state solutions contemplated by the present invention.

Furthermore, in contrast to heretofore known polyimide precursors of the type described in Canadian patent No. 701,640 to Lavin as intimate mixtures of dry solid monomers, for example, the materials of the present invention are solid state solutions obtained from .a stoichiometric mixture of monomers in solution. Thus, while the process described in the Canadian patent are mixtures at the crystalline level, the process of the present invention results in mixtures at the molecular level. This is important because the products of the present invention may be polymerized at a much slower rate and much more uniformly than those of the process just mentioned.

Among the applications where the novel imide-forming materials of the present invention can be used to particular advantage are the following:

(A) Metal-to-metal adhesives. In this application, the resinoid is mixed with aluminum to form a suspension and knife-coated onto a glass fabric support or carrier. The carrier is sandwiched between the objects to be joined, and this is followed by an elevated temperature cure to convert the resinoid to a high molecular weight polyimide.

(B) Laminated structures obtained by subjecting preformed objects which have been preimpregnated with an imide-forming material according to the present invention to a pressure-heating cycle.

(C) Honeycomb-type structures obtained by suitable preformation of objects using open-weave glass fabric pre-impregnated with a resinoid according to the present invention.

(D) Preimpregnated fabric for the above and other applications. These are prepared by solution-, melt-, or knife-coating the fabric with the resinoid with or without additives or fillers.

(E) Solutions of these resinoids for vehicles to grind and suspend paint pigments. The pigmented mixtures form high-temperature resistant coatings and insulators when dried and cured.

(F) Casting of unpigmented films from solution or melt. Upon suitable curing, such films exhibit toughness and flexibility as well as low thermal discoloration.

The polyimides produced upon curing the novel imide formers of the present invention can of course also be used in other applications for which the polyimides heretofore known are suitable.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that one important and primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of novel, improved imide-forming materials of substantially unlimited shelf life and in processes for preparing such materials and for converting them to high molecular weight polymers which are resistant to very high temperatures.

Other important but more specific objects of the present invention reside in the provision of novel imide-forming materials which:

(1) are monomeric.

('2) in conjunction with the preceding object, are solid state solutions obtained by physically mixing solutions of aromatic diamines with tetracarboxylic acid derivatives without chemical reaction.

(3) are easily and inexpensively handled solid and semisolid, resinoidlike materials which are isolable at room temperature.

(4) are particularly well suited for use:

(a) in metal-to-metal adhesives.

(b) in the production of laminated and honeycomb structures.

(c) in the manufacture of preimpregnated fabrics for various applications.

(d) as vehicles for grinding and suspending pigments in paints which can thereafter be cured to produce high-temperature resistant coatings and insulators.

(e) in casting tough, flexible films having a low degree of thermal discoloration from solutions and melts.

(5) can be prepared more economically, by a simpler process, and with less discoloration than imide-forming materials heretofore known.

(6) can be spray dried.

(7) have low melting points and are highly soluble in inexpensive, low boiling point solvents.

(8) have a substantially unlimited shelf life and are not sensitive to atmospheric oxygen at room temperature.

(9) can be used directly in injection molding, melt coating, and similar manufacturing processes.

Other objects and advantages and additional novel features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts from the foregoing general description of the invention, from the appended claims, and from the following examples, which illustrate the preparation of typical imide-forming materials in accord with the invention and the conversion of such materials to polyimides and to polyamic acid intermediates.

EXAMPLE I Benzophenone-3,3',4,4' tetracarboxylic acid di-anhydride (BTDA) (322 g., l M) was placed in 1 l. of anhydrous methanol (MeOH), and the mixture was refluxed with stirring until the solution was complete. Previously recrystallized 4,4-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DA'DPS) (248 g., 1 M) was added to the resulting yellowish solution in 50 g. increments with stirring and reflux, which were continued after all of the diamine had been added until the solution became homogeneous. The excess methanol was then distilled ofl under reduced pressure at 60 C. leaving a solid, amber, monomeric resinoid melting at about C.

This resinoid was very soluble in methanol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethanol, ethyl acetate and other inexpensive, low boiling solvents. Prolonged drying of a small sample of the resinoid at 60 C. under vacuum, while trapping the volatiles, indicated that the retained amount of alcohol was less than ten percent. This indicated the presence of a solid solution of the diamine in the semisolid dimethyl ester-diacid and a small percentage of the alcohol.

A solution of the resinoid, in alcohol, was poured into a large volume of n-Hexane, and a precipitate formed. The precipitate was found to be an almost quantitative amount of uncombined diamine. This further indicated that the resinoid was solely a physical mixture of the amine and acid derivative. This mixture, however, unlike the intimate mixtures of the dry solid monomers described in Canadian Pat. No. 701,640, is a mixture at the molecular level rather than a mixture of crystals of each component.

EXAMPLE II Benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (332 g., 1 M) was allowed to react with dry methanol as in Example I. The excess methanol was distilled olf, yielding a Inside-forming solutions which are mixtures of derivatives of benzophenone-3,3',4,4'-tetracarboxylic acid and 4,4-diaminodiphenyl sulfone give exceptionally good results.

4 A similar salting out of uncombined amine can be obtained (11:13; disgolvlng the resinoid in a water-alcohol solution or other uen Q brownish yellow semisolid. This was taken up in sodium carbonate solution, forming the disodinm salt of the acid. The resulting yellow aqueous solution was treated with charcoal, filtered, and then neutralized with acetic acid. This liberated the diacid-diester, which was taken up in ethyl acetate. The organic layer was isolated and dried with MgSO Upon vacuum removal of the solvent, a yellowish, semisolid, hygroscopic, resinous, diacid-diester with a melting point of about 60 C. was obtained.

Higher diesters including ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, and benzyl were prepared in a similar fashion. These, as well as the methyl diester, were resinous semisolids with low melting points.

Such isolated diesters can be used without dissolution in a solvent in the preparation of the novel imide-forming solid state solutions of the present invention. To demon- 0.1 M) was dissolved in 100 mls. of anhydrous methanol. 2,6 Diaminopyridine 10.9 g., 0.1 M) was added to this solution with stirring until it dissolved. The resinoid remaining after removal of the excess solvent was somewhat greenish, but otherwise had characteristics similar to the reisnoid of Example I.

EXAMPLE VIII TABLE I Summary of the preparation of the solid solution resinoids of Examples I-VIII Approx. Gel time m.p. of at Example BTDA Solution resinoid Appearance of 400 F. cited diester medium Diamine Solubility of resinoid C. the solution (min.)

I Me- MeOH DADPS S. in MeOH, EtOH, acetone MEK, EtOAc.. 60 Dark red 1 II Et- None DADPS III. Et- EtOH DADPS S. in MeOH, EtOH, acetone MEK, EtOAe 1 IV. Pr- PrOH DADPS S. in PrOH-EtOAc. PrOH MEK 2-3 V- iPriPrOH-MEK DADPS S. in iPrOH-EtOAc, iPrOH-MEK 2-3 VI- @CH MeOH ADPS S. in MeOH-EtOAc 15 VII Me- MeOH DAP S. in MeOH, EtOA, acetone EtOAc 60 Yellowish-green.-. 1 VIII Mao-(CH2)? MeO-(CHQZOH DADPS S. in MeOH 60 Dark red 5 BT DA =3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride. DADPs=4A diaminodiphenyi sulfone. DAP=2,6-diaminopyridine. strate this diethyl benzophenonetetracarboxylate was heat- EXAMPLE IX ed on a water bath until it became a viscous fluid. An equimolar amount of diaminodiphenyl sulfone was added to the fluid, and the mixture was heated in the bath with agitation until homogeneous. The amber viscous material thus obtained was then cooled. This produced a resinoid similar to that described in Example I.

EXAMPLE III Benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (80.5 g., 0.25 M) was added to 250 mls. of dried ethanol. The mixture was stirred and heated until it became homogeneous. Diaminodiphenyl sulfone (62 g., 0.25 M) was added to the solution with refluxing. Upon completion of the addition, the solution remained homogeneous. The resinoid produced upon removal of the excess ethanol was somewhat lighter than, but otherwise identical to, that described in Example I.

EXAMPLE IV The procedure used in Example I was repeated with n-propyl alcohol as the esterifying agent and solvent. The resulting resinoid was most soluble in a mixture of propanol and methyl ethyl ketone but was otherwise similar to that described in Example I.

EXAMPLE V The same procedure was used with isopropyl alcohol as the reactant-solvent. After the final addition of the diamine, a small amount of methyl ethyl ketone was added to reduce the time necessary to efiect solution. The resinoid obtained was similar to that described in Example I.

EXAMPLE VI Benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (16.15 g., 0.05 M) was dissolved in 50 mls. of benzyl alcohol at 100 C. Diaminodiphenyl sulfone (12.4 g., 0.05 M) was added to the resulting solution with heating and stirring. Removal of the excess benzyl alcohol produced a glassy resinoid which was soluble in methanol-acetone and had the general characteristics of the resinoid described in Example I.

EXAMPLE VII Benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (32.2 g.

To demonstrate that the imide-forming materials of the present invention are substantially different from the type of imide formerly obtained by following the procedure heretofore typically employed such as that outlined in US. Pat. No. 2,880,230, pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) (21.8 g., 0.10 M) was dissolved in 100 mls. of anhydrous methanol. Diaminodiphenyl sulfone (24.8 g., 0.1 M) was added to this solution, and the mixture was stirred until homogeneous. When enough solvent had been removed by distillation to leave a seventy percent solution and the material cooled, a gel which was insoluble in alcohol precipitated. In contrast, all of the resinoids described in Examples I-VIII were highly soluble in alcohol.

Furthermore, infrared analysis of the alcohol-insoluble gel showed an absorption at 1525 cm. indicating solution amidization. In contrast, infrared spectra of the resinoids described in Examples I-VIII showed no amide absorption at 1525 cmr indicating that there are no amide forming reactions involved in making the imideforming materials of the present invention.

EXAMPLE X To demonstrate the substantially unlimited shelf life of the resinoids of the present invention, samples of these were compared with analogous combinations of materials of the type heretofore available and described in US Pat. No 3,347,808.

Sample A consisted of a solid state solution of diaminodiphenyl sulfone in the dimethyl ester of hemephenonetetracarboxylic acid prepared according to Example I. Sample B was a solid state solution of 2,6- diaminopyridine in the dimethyl ester of benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid prepared according to Example VII. Samples C and D were prepared following the same procedure but using 4,4'-bisoxyaniline and m-phenylenedi {Depending upon the particular imide-former involved, solutrons of the patented imide forming materials will precipitate at solid concentrations of 35 percent or even lower In contrast there is no precipitation when solutions of the imideforming materials disclosed herein are cooled even though the concentration of solids is percent or higher; and the solutions remain amorphous even when the solvent is removed in a. vacuum.

amine respectively rather than the preferred diamines of the present invention utilized in samples A and B (these diamines are used in preparing the intimate solutions described in US Pat. 3,347,808).

The solid materials A-D were dissolved in methanol in equal concentrations and the solutions were stored in clear glass containers at temperatures varying from 50 F. to 78 F. Infrared spectra of these solutions were obtained periodically. Sample D showed an amide absorp tion of 1520 cm." after 16 days, indicating that polymerization had started taking place. Sample C showed the same absorption after 31 days. Samples A and B showed no such absorption after 120 days.

In another test, portions of the solutions described above were used to impregnate glass fabric. The prepreg (glass fabric impregnated with resinoid solutions) was allowed to dry and kept at room temperature exposed to the air. Samples C and D darkened considerably (from light yellow to brown indicating that oxidation had taken place) after 4 days. Samples A and -B, however, were still a light yellow after 120 days indicating that no appreciable oxidation had occurred.

The resinoids of Examples I-VIII were heated in air, using the following cycle: two hours at 250 F., one hour at 400 F., and fifteen hours at 600 'F. In all cases this resulted in high polymers that were infusible, insoluble, and yellow to brownish yellow in appearance. Heating of the material obtained in Example IX following the same cycle did not produce a high polymer.

As mentioned above, two applications in which the present invention may be employed to particular advantage are metal-to-metal adhesives and laminated structures. The following table illustrates the excellent properties which can be obtained by using the novel imide formers of the present invention in these applications and then converting them to high polymers by heat curing.

TABLE II Typical strength properties of some polyimides of the present invention in metal-to-metal adhesive using 17-7 pH stainless steel and a V2 inch bond overlap P.s.i. At room temperature 3.0x 10 After 24 hours at 600 F 2.1 l After 48 hours at 600 F. 2.1)(

TABLE III Typical strength properties of fiberglass reinforced laminates prepared from polyimide copolymers of the present invention To further demonstrate the unexpectedly superior properties of our novel polyimides, they were compared in carbon fiber reinforced structures with a number of commercial polyimides. The following results were obtained.

TABLE IV Comparison of polyimides in carbon reinforced structures Averaged value commerciai Sablon l polyimides I Flexural strength (P.s.i.) 80X10 50x10: Flexural modulus (p.s.i.) 28 10 19x10 Shear (psi; strength, R.'I 3, 279 2, 500 Shear (p.s.i. strength, 500 2,565 1,800

1 The polyimide material of Example I. I The polyimide materials were DuPont 2501, Monsanto Skybond 703, and 'IRW P 13N.

The reinforcement employed in the tests was Thornel 50 carbon fibers. The fiber content was approximately 60%, and the tests were run in general accord with the ASTM procedures published in Standard D-790, Book 27 (1965) and Standard D-2344, Book 26 (1966). As is apparent from the foregoing, the polyimide of the present invention in each test proved to be significantly superior.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of preparing a polyimide consisting essentially of recurring units of the formula which comprises the step of polymerizing a monomeric, solid state solution of an aromatic diamine having a primary amine basicity constant not exceeding about 10- and the formula H NAr-H N wherein Ar is a divalent aromatic radical in a tetracarboxylic acid diester having the formula where R is alkyl or benzyl by heating said solution to a temperature of not less than about 600 F. until an infusible, insoluble polymeric material is obtained.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the tetracarboxylic alcid diester is diethyl benzophenone-3,3',4,4-tetracarboxy ate.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the aromatic diamine is selected from the group consisting of 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulfone and 2,6-diaminopyridine.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the solid state solution is polymerized by heating it in air.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the solid state solution is polymerized by heating it first at a temperature on the order of 250 F., then at a temperature on the order of 400 F., and finally at a temperature on the order of 600 F.

6. The process of preparing a polyamic acid type precursor consisting essentially of recurring units of the formula liftf lial -lco. j

which comprises the step of polymerizing a monomeric, solid state solution of an aromatic diamine having a primary amine basicity constant not exceeding about 10'' and the formula H3NAI'H3N wherein Ar is a divalent aromatic radical in a tetracarboxylic acid diester having the formula where Ar is a divalent radical characterized by aromatic unsaturation and is the residue of a diamine which has the formula and a primary amine basicity constant not exceeding about 10. An infusible, insoluble, polyimide consisting essentially of recurring unts of the formula 11. An infusible, insoluble, polyimide consisting essentially of recurring units of the formula E O E at 12. The process of claim 1, wherein the alkyl is methyl, ethyl, or propyl.

13. The process of claim 6, wherein the alkyl is methyl, ethyl, or propyl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,037,966 6/1962 Chow et a1 -26078 3,179,634 4/1965 Edwards 260-78 3,349,061 10/ 1967 Pruckmayr 260-47 3,410,826 11/1968 Endrey 260-47 WILLIAM H. SHORT, Primary Examiner L. L. LEE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

l17--l24 GR, 161 P; 16l197, 214; 252-188.3; 260- 33.4 R, 37 N, 78 TF 

